Modern Torture
by The Jack Loving Misfit
Summary: (Modern Day Fic) His instincts told him to run. To speed through the war ravaged streets without a backward glance. And ran he did.
1. Prologue

Modern Torture  
By: The Jack Loving Misfit aka Courtney M.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Newsies characters, but I do own Gwen, Derek, the gang leaders and drug lords. So yippy-skippy for me, huh. Take that Disney!!  
  
Rating: R (language, violent situations, slash)  
  
Category: Drama/Action-Adventure/Romance  
  
Pairings: Take a guess. If you know me, then you probably know what's going on in my head because I can think of virtually nothing else.  
  
Summary (because it can get confusing): Basically, it's the year 2006. New York City. And the city is war torn with murders, fires, riots and other nasty stuff. Three gangs are at war against the two biggest drug lords New York has ever seen. Two of the character Gwen (OC) and Vincent (Skittery) are caught in the middle of it. The rest of the characters are kind of tugged along for the ride so to speak. A lot is going on in this story, so it may be a little hard to follow, but I'll try to make it as easy as possible, I swear. There's five storylines happening at once with different characters in each one and the characters don't go by their nicknames, so I suppose I should straighten that out too huh? (Wow, I'm rambling today aren't I?)  
  
Reviews: Are appreciated, loved and any other big words you can think of in you minds. I need them like I need water and food and sleep. (Sleep being the most important of those three)  
  
List of Characters Names (because you may need to remember, or refresh your memory at some point. . .even I do sometimes.)  
  
Vincent Monroe (Skittery)  
  
Maxwell Higgins  
  
David and Les Jacobs  
  
Gwen Schuster (Original character, former gang member)  
  
Jack Kelly  
  
Spencer Conlon  
  
Kevin O'Brien (Snipeshooter)  
  
Joshua Hayden (Snitch)  
  
Ryan Coldwater (Blink)  
  
Daniel McMichols (Bumlets)  
  
Eric Meyers (Mush)  
  
Mickey Black (Gang leader, searching for Gwen)  
  
"Sandy" Deltone (Gang leader, searching for Vince)  
  
Ace Cormick (Gang leader)  
  
Derek Calaneeta (Ace's right hand man, on the good side)  
  
Ray Shockleton (East Side drug lord)  
  
Benjamin Copper (West Side drug lord)  
  
(I know, I know, a lot of characters. But just be most concerned with the Newsies you know and love. Their the main characters)  
  
A/N: Alright, now that I've wasted enough of your time. (Ever notice how good at that I am?) You can go on and read my super brief prologue just to warm ya up and hopefully I'll have the first chapter out soon since I've already planned this whole story out. And it's going to be long, so bare with me on this one and I will love you forever and ever.  
  
* * *  
  
Prologue - New York City (2006)  
  
"We've got to get rid of them. They're the real problems," Ray Shockleton said in a grave, monotonous voice. His twenty-something face set in a grim expression enough to scare those closest to him. The drugs that ran rapid through his body made him slightly jittery, but not enough to cloud over his judgement. His body was beyond used to the invasion. In fact, the only thing you could accuse him of would be being over confident.  
  
"You think I'm stupid or somethin? I know that. What I want to know is how you propose to do just that?" The second voice in the room cracked through the brief quiet. No one could accuse Benjamin Copper of being over confident. He got his edge from fighting, violence and intimidation. And the fact that he never sampled the drugs he sold to the junkies.  
  
Shockleton and Copper were the biggest drug lords in New York City. Everyone knew it and it was also common knowledge to not screw with either one of them. Ever. But apparently someone, or more accurately, three someone's, didn't get the memo.  
  
Those people were the leaders of the three most violent, well known and powerful gangs in the city. And the three had ripped off both east and west drug dealers - big time. And that was the purpose of Shockleton and Coppers meeting on that rainy, rainbow-esque day.  
  
Shockleton turned on his heel slowly, looking straightly through Copper with his slightly glazed over gray eyes. Eyes that used to be a shine ocean blue before the drug abuse began at fourteen. Now they resembled dead eyes. "Trust me Benny, just trust old Raymond."  
  
"I trust you about as much as I like you. So you better tell me what tricks you've got up your sleeve."  
  
"Ye of little faith -  
  
"Knock off the faith bullshit and jist tell me. You dance around the subject too much."  
  
Shockleton threw his fellow leader a dazzling grin, then leaned across the small dimly lit table so he could whisper. Explaining his plan of revenge in detail. All the way down to the last fight and final death. The frown that had been set of Copper's face was fading quickly into an agreeing, amused smirk. When he had finished telling his plan, Ray leaned back to his original position, a matching smirk on his own face.  
  
"Like I said Copper, you just lean back, relax, and trust me. And everything will go perfectly smooth."  
  
And that was how the war between the druggies and gangs began. Fire's were set to most houses, riots were started brutally in the streets, murders occurred on every avenue corner and dead end alleyway. No one was safe from the destruction that smashed through the relatively peaceful city. Families ran, children screamed and the warring sides didn't care who they shot at. If you looked up chaos, most likely you would now see a picture of this war next to the word. Everything Ray said was happening, exactly the way he wanted it too. The only thing he didn't count on was a group of teenagers to throw them off.  
  
But that comes later. 


	2. Chapter 1: Smoke In the Wind

Chapter One: Smoke In the Wind  
  
* * *  
  
Streets of Manhattan, Late Morning  
  
* * *  
  
Gwen Schuster tumbled, again, and fell, again, onto the dirty cracked streets of New York City. Grumbling to herself, she eased off the ground, brushing off her jeans at the same time. This little routine of duck and run was wearing her down. She hadn't eaten in almost two days and had slept about five or six hours in the same amount of time. Her energy completely drained, the only thing keeping her going was the mind numbing thought that if she didn't get out of the city she would be killed eventually.  
  
She moved quickly, which accounted for why she was ending up so klutzy. Her emerald eyes darted over every building, searching every last visible shadow. Her jumpy nerves went off at the slightest noise that trickled through her ears. Slowing her pace considerably, she finally took the time to look at the street signs and building names to try and figure out where exactly she was.  
  
Her bloodshot eyes gazed over the small words while she cursed her mind for not recognizing any of the names. All she wanted to do was get the hell out of dodge, (so to speak) but New York was throwing every curve in the book at her to keep her here. This time she swore out loud in frustration, wondering idly why she always got caught up in the worst situations.  
  
She traced the sidewalks beside her, then lifted her dry eyes to take in how badly her surroundings had suffered from the attacks. Empty gun shells glinted in the sun that was just beginning to hit it's full glow, peeking out through the buildings. She spotted two dead bodies down one ally and quickly tore her eyes away, once again increasing her walker pace. Dead bodies equaled gang members. And gang members equaled her own doomed fate. Something she was trying to escape from. If this damned city would just let. Her. Go.  
  
"Over here!" A voice rang through the silent street. Gwen glanced over her shoulder before ducking into the nearest crumbling building. The windows were all shattered, allowing access from pretty much any part of the first floor. Gwen crushed her eyes shut and waited until she heard the two gang members thunder past her.  
  
Sighing in relief, she slipped out, traveling back in the same direction she had just come from. She hadn't recognized the gang members that may or may not have spotted her, but they very easily could have been one of Ace's boys. Since the Scorpions very rarely associated with the Monsters. Just another thing that had changed since the war with Copper and Shockleton had begun more than two and a half months earlier. That, and Gwen had suddenly become public enemy number one for the gangs. Barely edging out Vincent Monroe for the top spot. It was enough to make her regret that she had ever reported the two murders in the first place.  
  
She kept her eyes downcast, letting her midnight black hair fall in long sweeps across her face, wishing silently to herself that she could dye it to make her less recognizable. Also making sure the scar that ran along in a jagged six inch line across her neck was covered. If anyone saw that she was as good as a dead women walking. The scar known, technically, only to her and Mickey from her previous near death escape, was sure to give her away. She preferred not to be in a similar situation again - especially during this war. Mickey was bound to be in a 'take no prisoners' state of mind.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she kept a watchful lookout for any sudden movements. The only person in the city she knew for sure that she could trust was Vince. And for all she knew Sandy had already taken him down. Though she prayed not, he was one of the few people left in New York who could get into heaven without investigation. And death at the hands of Sandy Deltone would most likely be unpleasant, considering he was half insane.  
  
She wished she was home. In Detroit with her parents and younger brother Paul. And she almost laughed at the irony with which held the reason why she was still, even a year after her graduation from the boarding school that had landed her here in the first place, walking around in the streets of New York.  
  
Her parents had insisted she stay in the city longer because of a long string of violent attacks in their living area on women around her age. They said it would be safer to hang in New York for a while. Until the commotion calmed down. That was a riot now, seeing the problem happening all around her. Happening TO her.  
  
She allowed herself a whisper of a smile before setting her face back into an expression of indifference. The day was dragging terribly and she added her wish for a watch to her long list of wishes to use on the stars that night. Something else to keep her painfully awake. As if on cue, she rubbed her sleep deprived eyes and yawned. Making a promise to herself that if she was still alive by nightfall, to find a peacefully place to sleep in. Knowing in the back of her mind that she needed sleep - even a few restless hours - to keep from collapsing in the strangled daytime. Sleep and food, her stomach rumbled, reminding her of the latter. Deciding it was lunch time, she raised her head to look for a broken restaurant or store she could casually steal from.  
  
Coming across a mid-city quickie mart, she hungrily ducked through the smashed front window, grabbing as much as her hands and coat pockets could carry. Consuming from that only a bottle of water, (amazingly whichever gang had trashed the place hadn't broken the fridge) some Ritz crackers and a milky way bar.  
  
Having her hunger quenched for the time being, she changed directions once again, turning down Daniels Avenue, which sounded vaguely familiar to her weary mind. The only thing on the avenue she recognized however was the large, pink twelve story penthouse apartment complex appropriately named The Flamingo. She barely remembered passing it once back when she was a Scorpion and making a crack about rather shooting herself then ever stepping foot in the building. It was funny how fast the tables turned.  
  
Before she could reach the entrance of the relatively unharmed building, a loud crash cut through her ears from the ally across from where she was standing. Like the curiosity that killed the cat, Gwen moved slowly to peek in on what was occurring.  
  
Their was two men standing in the middle of the ally, fighting. One man was definitely winning through shear size and muscle alone. He had his back to Gwen, so she couldn't make out his face, but the other boy, which looked about her age, was taking a bloody beating. Behind the teenager, stood a young boy of about ten, a look of absolute horror on his face.  
  
Glancing around at her sides, she saw a large piece of metal, mostly likely from the ransacked building to her left, that she could use to hit the bigger man on the head with. Assuming he stayed facing away from her.  
  
Sneaking up quietly behind him, she locked eyes briefly with the boys who's brown eyes grew about ten sizes upon seeing her. She made a 'shh' gesture with her finger and lips and he obeyed. Maybe too much in shock to do anything else. After hitting the man three times, he finally fell to the ground unconscious.  
  
"You two, follow me," She croaked out in her scratchy unused voice, then led them into the street, slipping into The Flamingo unnoticed by even the air that was swirling around them.  
  
"I guess I should thank you," The older of the two boys breathed while he tried to wipe the blood trickling down his bottom lip.  
  
"Just thank your luck," Gwen answered truthfully.  
  
He shifted uncomfortably in front of her for a moment before thrusting his hand towards her.  
  
"David Jacobs, and this is my little brother Les," He introduced motioning only briefly to his brother. Gwen extended her own hand, accepting the shake.  
  
"Gwen Schuster."  
  
"There a reason you're traveling along?" David asked, looking Gwen up and down carefully before locking his ice blue eyes with her own.  
  
"Yeah. I'd like to live to see my twenty-first birthday," She scoffed sarcastically.  
  
The sounds coming from the ally grabbed their attention and to avoid being seen by the waking unknown man, the trio moved deeper into the crevices of the complex's maroon lobby, which clashed horribly with the outsides pink décor.  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?" David whispered to her, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.  
  
"What's what suppose to mean?"  
  
"The living til 21 one crack."  
  
"Oh, well, basically the whole Scorpion Stings gang is hunting me down. Because Mickey Black, the head honcho, wants me dead. But anyway, how's your life?" She asked nonchalantly.  
  
"You're WHAT?!"  
  
"Yeah. Sucks doesn't it."  
  
David continued to gape at her in a form of stunned shock. Noticing his look, she turned her attentions to Les who was watching her with a mixture of wonder and awe.  
  
"How 'bout you kid? What'cha brother and you doing out in the streets alone?"  
  
Les glanced at David, who was staring off into space, then turned back to Gwen.  
  
"We're looking for our older sister Sarah. She was suppose to pick us up from school but she never showed."  
  
Gwen swallowed hard and nodded slightly in response. Just hearing the situation made the worst things rush through her mind. Especially if Shockleton or Deltone got their dirty hands on her. But she avoided saying anything, not wanting to upset the kid staring up at her.  
  
"Well, don't you worry Les, we'll find yer sister."  
  
"Wait a minute. We? As in us AND you?" David commented coming out of his trance and throwing Gwen a doubtful look.  
  
"Sure. Why not? Look, if you're worried about the Scorpions -  
  
"We can take care of ourselves."  
  
"Like you were in the ally just a few minutes ago?"  
  
David shut his mouth and clenched his jaw tightly while Gwen just looked dead serious.  
  
"She can come right David? She can help us. . .please?" Les begged, looking up at him with a hopeful look his in his eyes. David sighed and looked back at Gwen, still uncertain.  
  
"You can't guarantee us we'll be safe with you. You said yourself a whole GANG is looking for you. What happens if they find you and we're there too?"  
  
"Listen, if it comes to that, if that happens, then I'll tell them I lied to you about who I am. Besides they want me - not you. Once upon a time Mickey loved me. And if I don't want you harmed, then he'll respect that," She explained, knowing every word to be true.  
  
"You're positive?"  
  
"Hundred and ten percent."  
  
He appeared to think about this for a few seconds, his eyes closed briefly, then opened again when he sighed in defeat.  
  
"Okay, fine. Whatever. Just don't get us killed alright?"  
  
"Done deal."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Good. Now that that's settled, where is it exactly that you two live?"  
  
"The old Hilton complex. Over on second street," David answered, waving his hand in the general direction.  
  
"That's at least three or four miles from here and that's only if we can run half the way there."  
  
"That doesn't make sense."  
  
"What doesn't make sense?"  
  
"What you just said. You said that if we run half the way to the Hilton then we only had to go -  
  
"You know what I meant! For gods sakes, don't be so picky," Gwen responded, scrunching up her nose and glaring roughly at David who continued to stare at her stupidly.  
  
"It's about 12:30 now, so if we get going we should make it to Second street by 3:00," David estimated glancing at his watch.  
  
"Three? Forget it. Try six thirty at the earliest," Gwen argued, taking in mind how many gang members or drug dealers they might run into and be forced to hide from. "And we'll probably be lucky to make that time."  
  
"Why shouldn't we? If we travel fast -  
  
"Don't be stupid. You said you didn't want me to get you killed, so don't get yourself killed either. I can cover up for you, but I can't save you ass every two seconds, and I can't be your babysitter - so watch yourself."  
  
Les mock saluted her in his own cute childish way. David sighed heavily but nodded his own agreement. Gwen nodded back at him, then turned to the window to see if the ally man was gone. When indeed she saw he had disappeared, she exited the untouched building, both brothers hot on her heels.  
  
The trio fell into a deep silence as they began to traveling. The only sound echoing down the roads was the sound of their own shoes smacking the dark pavement, which was slightly moist from the last night's rain. Although they were virtually strangers, Gwen received the company well. Just the presence of the brothers kept her nerves at bay. Kept her from thinking to much. Maybe it was because now she could focus on someone else other than herself, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.  
  
Relaxing more with each step, she looked out of her eyes at the two brothers which were now walking on either side of her. Les reminded her of Paul somewhatly. Innocent, sweet, a good all around kid. David was. . .well, she didn't know yet. He was a thinker, she knew that. Smart too. But someone like David Jacobs was going to take a few more hours to figure out.  
  
She smiled softly to herself at this thought.  
  
For once, she felt she actually had the time to do just that.  
  
* * *  
  
A/N: Man, this took me a long time to write and I have no freakin idea why. Oh, well. I should probably go update Prayers and Promises now. Or something. Next chapter will be featuring Vincent (Skittery), Maxwell (Racetrack) and Kevin (Snipeshooter). So stay tuned.  
  
Special thanks to:  
  
SpotLover421: You're too kind, too kind. I have to thank you a zillion times over, but that's not even a number so, I just thank you!!!!! 


End file.
